Cooper Smith's Nightmare
by Yankee01754
Summary: In The Echo Pass Story, Coop and Charlie, were stopped by five renegades, if you will, who had robbed a bank and killed three lawmen. Separating Charlie and Coop, the leader made as if to kill Charlie (he failed) and was forcing Coop to lead them to water. This is a retelling of what happened to Coop with his thoughts on what was had happened or he believed had happened.


Cooper Smith's Nightmare

By Yankee 01754

 _How could such an ordinary day, an ordinary errand such as fetching water for the wagon train turn into such a nightmare? Cooper Smith wondered to himself._

It had been hot. Hot enough crossing the plains on their current route that the wagon train was in need of water. Coop and Charlie Wooster the wagon train's talkative cook, were sent to find it and fill the barrels in the supply wagon. They were driving along, with Charlie chattering in Coop's ear until the scout complained and gave the old guy a hard time.

"I'm not gonna talk any more." Charlie had told Cooper.

"You wanna bet?" was the rejoinder.

"Bet what?"

"That that's all you got to say?"

As much as Coop liked Charlie - they all did - his incessant chatter did have a way of wearing on the nerves. Coop often wondered how sixgteen-year-old Barnaby West, the, cook's helper, - and scout in training- put up with it all day.

As tbey drove along, minding their own business, they were accosted by a group of five people - three men and two women. The two youngest were seemingly only in their late teens or early twenties.

 _Why are they separating me and Charlie? the scout wondered as he was forced, at gunpoint, to mount the horse belonging to the group's deceased compatriot after having his wrists tied and watching them tie Charlie up and sit him on the ground next to the wagon. I won't leave him behind. They can't make me. Charlie! You're supposed to stay with me Charlie. Don't worry. I'm coming. back I'll never complain that you talk too much again as long as you're all right and we get back to the train okay._

But they could and they did. His struggles were in vain and the leader pointed his gun at Charlie to ensure Coop's cooperation. Four of them started off with him leaving Lee Barton, their leader, alone with Charlie. Coop's nightmare was about to begin. He went along, sullenly, trying to think of a way to escape and get back to Charlie. Then the two of them would find a way to escape these people and get back to the wagon train. With Chris and Bill and the other men on the train to back them up these people wouldn't stand a chance. There had to be a way to get back to them. Somehow..

When the shot came, from the direction of the wagon he'd been forced to leave, Cooper 's thoughts were dragged back to reality. He practically dove off the horse he was on and started running in the direction of the wagon. He didn't get far before he was tackled but Coop's fists started flying and his assailant was stunned. Unfortunately, Lee Barton, the leader of the bunch, rode up and hit Coop with a knock out blow from his pistol.

The scout was slow in getting up. He knelt on the ground where he'd lain unconscious for a minute or two, grass and dirt in his hair, blood streaming down his face from the wound inflicted by the gun barrel and tears streaming down his face despite his efforts to hold them back. It was with agony of spirit that the young man cried out., "Charlie". He paused for a moment, trying to gather his wits about him and get past the pain in his head before saying "I swear to you _every_ _on_ e of them will want to trade places with you. _Every_ _one_ of them. So help me _God_!"

Paul, the one who had tackled Coop when he attempted to escape, made sure that Smith's legs were tightly bound at the ankle. The rope used to bind his wrists was attached to that which secured his ankles and it wasn't exactly loose. Propped up against a boulder - away from the fire - the young man silently mourned his murdered friend. Sick at heart, silent sobs wracked his body as tears coursed down his cheeks. _"They're gonna pay Charlie. I swear they're going to pay!"_ His captors never knew how he mourned and had no idea that he was planning on revenge. Charlie had been a good friend. He'd tended to the sick, or injured, Coop many times since the younger man had joined the Hale wagon train. Coop, and the rest of the crew - including young Barnaby West - gave Charlie a hard time about his cooking but they knew there was no more loyal friend, and employee, than Charlie Wooster. _Charlie! I'm sorry old friend. I'd trade places with you if I could. Sure hope Chris or Bill finds you and gives you a decent burial real soon. I don't want Barney to be the one. He's just a kid. He's had enough troubles in his short life - like bein' rejected by his pa._

While the group that held him prisoner discussed their plans Coop thought to himself, _If they get to Mexico they'll raid a town, and rob a bank, every time they go broke. And I sure don't stand a chance of getting away from them before that unless I can change their minds. I'm gonna try and talk them into Echo Pass. They don't know there ain't no water there - that they can get to. Maybe I can "divide and conquer" as Chris would put it. I doubt those two younguns can handle the heat and the walking and they sure don't have that much water - not if all they've got is what they took from me and Charlie._

He laughed, briefly, drawing the attention of the gang's leader. For a man who claimed to be nothing more than a farmer he was a nasty piece of work but Coop was undaunted by his attitude. He was plotting revenge for the death of his friend. These people would never find themselves at a water hole. Never. Barton was every bit as evil as Eli Bancroft and his boys had been - even if their circumstances were different. Hard times or not, nothing justified their robbing a bank and killing four men including one harmless old man who would have gladly helped them if they'd only asked instead of taking Coop hostage and forcing him to help them.

When the first waterhole they came to turned out to be dry, Barton made threats toward Coop.

Coop told Barton that he doubted the situation would improve. Barton threatened him with extreme measures if he pushed or caused them too much grief.

"We intend getting to Mexico," Barton said. "If we don't, you don't."

Coop couldn't control himself, "And if I don't are you going to take the time to bury me?"

"If the next water hole is dry we'll take the time to bury you up to your neck in it."

 _I'll lead you to water all right, mister. Only you'll never see it or drink it. Your "extreme measures" won't make a bit of difference._

When they camped, that second night out, once again Coop was bound hand and foot by the efficient Paul who left no give in the rope around his wrists and ankles. While the others slept soundly Coop's sleep, such as it was, was filled with dreams and memories of Charlie and the others. He remembered how they all teased Charlie until the cook got mad and complained about it. He remembered all the times Charlie had patiently tended to their hurts and their illnesses. Barney's broken leg, Bill's fever, Duke's wounded arm the time the Bleekers took over the wagon train while he, Coop, was away. Most of all he remembered how Charlie had twice tended to him, Cooper Smith, the biggest tease in the bunch, when he was twice felled by sunstroke in the desert and the time he'd been captured by Commanches who had beaten Coop and then tried to trade him for twenty horses. Old Zebedee Titus may have wrangled Coop's freedom but it was Charlie who had cleaned him up, bound his injured ribs, fed him soup and put him to bed in the supply wagon, checking on him every couple of hours, every day, as they waited for the new trading post, Fort Zebedee Titus to be built.

For a second night Cooper Smith silently sobbed over the loss of his friend. A brutal and totally unnecessary murder. As he sobbed he swore vengeance - again - on those responsible. Especially on one Lee Barton who had pulled the trigger.

It took a full thirty minutes, the next morning, for Coop to work the kinks out and be ready to go. During that time the others discussed their plans for Mexico again. When the scout told them that Echo Pass was their best bet for water Bea wondered why he was being so cooperative. He told her that he was hoping they might make a deal before they got to California. Half starved and dry as the desert sand, he mounted his horse and led them in the direction of Echo Pass.

 _Cooperative nothing lady. Taking you to Echo Pass I can get rid of you, one by one, if you don't decide to give me a share of the money for taking you to the water you'll never see. Only you won't know that until I get you there and make my escape while you're busy moaning over water you can hear but not get to._

This suited the younger woman fine. She'd been working in a saloon and had no desire to go back to that lifestyle which she would have to if they wound up in Mexico or on the border.

 _You'll wind up in a saloon - or dead, girl. You haven't got the guts, or the strength, to make it on your own any other way. Barton's not going to take care of you. I could tell you that right now only you'd never believe me. He's in this for himself and maybe Mrs. Dressen. The rest of you don't mean a thing to him and I have my doubts about Mrs. Dressen being all that important to him as well._

There were a couple of tense moments when Paul got too friendly with Vera and Josh pointed his gun at him. Barton broke it up quickly. Paul insisted he was only joking but Bea told him his jokes weren't funny. That put the damper on any more nonsense.

Coop knew they'd kill him as soon as they didn't need him any more. He was fighting for his life and he knew it. He didn't know that Chris Hale, Bill Hawks and Charlie Wooster were on his trail. As far as he knew Charlie was dead and nobody knew what had happened to him.

 _Let's see you manage this. A nice little rock slide ought to slow you down and maybe take one of you with it._

Coop took advantage of the poor condition of the path they were on by creating a rock slide. Without any of his captors seeing it, he stomped hard and sent dirt and rocks sliding down the cliff face pretty much right on top of them. He scared their horses off and caused young Josh's right leg to be injured badly enough that he had to splint it and lean on a tool handle in order to walk..

Once again, Barton pointed his gun at Coop.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Smith?" Barton asked.

 _More than you know, Coop thought. More than you know._

"I told you it was going to be rough," the scout replied.

At this point Lee Barton had all the water put into two canteens. He took charge of them leaving nothing to chance with Paul, Josh and Vera.

"If we keep stopping, every ten minutes," Bea Dressen said, "we'll never get out of here."

 _That leg ain't broken kid. You wouldn't be able to walk on it, splint or no splint, if it was. But don't worry. You won't have to walk on it for long. Your uncle will see to that._

The path Coop led them along was steep and narrow.. After a short while they came to a point where a previous rock slide had blocked the path Everyone but Josh was able to get past it. At this point, the "loving uncle", seeing that Josh would not be able to keep up and, in point of fact couldn't get past the blockage on the trail, decided that now was as good a time as any for Josh to learn to make it on his own. He knocked the gun out of Josh's hand and told him it was time for him to take care of himself. He didn't leave him any water and didn't give him his share of the money, To add insult to injury, Paul took Josh's makeshift crutch away from him and laughed as they left him behind.

 _"Any more surprises, Mr. Smith, and I will be forced to take extreme measures he says". He doesn't know extreme measures. That little rock slide was just a taste of what I can dish out._

Coop convinced them that it was just as well their horses had run off. They couldn't use the horses over the route he had in mind. They could always get horses on the other side of the pass. There were farms there.

 _It'll be a cold day in July when I take you to a farm for more horses. A VERY cold day. You're not getting more horses. You're not getting water. Go ahead and drink up what you've got. Don't give me any. You're going to get yours in the end._

Coop looked on in grim satisfaction and with some concern. Barton was cold and calculating. One less person to share the water and the money with. Too bad for Josh. One down. Four to go. Who would be next?

 _He seems to care for Mrs. Dressen but I wonder how much he'll really care about her when we get to the end of the pass and there's no water except what's in that canteen. Can't be much left now. He doesn't hold back from drinking it and offering it to her. Never mind that there are two other people in his group._

. It was hot. Blistering hot. Coop was suffering as much as his captors but he didn't let them see it. He forced himself to keep moving. Eventually they came to a place where Barton decided they should take a breather. At this point the girl, Vera, had reached the point of exhaustion and couldn't go on any longer. Barton was a little kinder to her. He left her some water and said "we have to make adjustments as we go along" and "We all change. Like you did when we left Josh behind.". Maybe she could make it back the five miles or so to where they'd left her brother.

Coop turned a deaf ear to her cries and pleas and worked on trying to get Paul to take the money and water. If he did then he, Coop, would take Paul to California.

 _If you think I'm taking you anywhere near the California border, mister, you got another thing coming. I know this country. You don't. You're not getting anywhere near the border. I'll take you to the nearest lawman even if you kill me when I do. I owe Charlie._

Charlie. Every time Coop thought about his friend he got angry, and sad, all over again.

 _Wish I could be there for your funeral Charlie. Life on the train just won't be the same without you. I blame myself for what happened. I should have fought harder. I should have at least gotten you away_

Coop's wrists were tied - tight. His hands were almost swollen. He was hot and thirsty but doggedly he kept on until finally, Barton and Paul had a falling out over the money and the water. Coop slugged the younger man and knocked him out. Barton, after a short conversation with Bea, pushed the unconscious Paul over the edge of the path. He fell to the ground at the bottom. Now there was just the outlaw leader and Bea Dressen left. Coop forced himself to keep going. Three down, two to go.

At long last they came to the spot where they were supposed to find water. Coop had led them to water all right, but the water was on the other side of a rock wall. It was totally inaccessible to the weary fugitives and their captive. Coop felt a deep satisfaction when the two remaining outlaws came to the realization that there was no water to be found. Nor was there an opening in the rock wall to get to it or continue on to California. Desperate to get away from them, Coop lit out while they were distracted. He hadn't gotten very far before Barton came after him.

 _Can't let him catch up to me but where's Mrs. Dressen? Is she with him or is she still standing by the cliff face listening to the water. Wish I knew what to expect. I'm pretty sure I can get away from him if there's no other obstacle. I can get around the bend on that path and back down before he gets to me._

Desperate to get out of sight, the escapee ducked into a cliff side cave. Barton figured out where he'd gone and followed him shooting. His fourth shot ricocheted off the rock wall causing a splinter to hit Coop in the face drawing blood on his left cheek. Barton ran out of bullets and Coop fled toward the entrance as the outlaw yelled to his remaining partner - the woman who, in theory was going to be his wife - warning her to be ready. He stopped up short when he exited. Bea Dressen was standing there with a pistol in hand and pointed at him. Finally at the end of his rope the scout made one last attempt to get away. He told Bea that he'd get her to water and let her and the money go without telling the law if she'd put a bullet in Barton.

It was a tense moment. He didn't know if it would work or not. She hesitated. Barton talked. Told her to shoot Coop. Told Coop that Bea was going to be his wife. Coop told her to shoot Barton and he would keep his promise. He'd get her to water and let her leave. Let her deal with eluding the law without him leading them to her. She wavered as Barton tried desperately, to Coop's mind, to get her to listen to him. With a final cry of "I want to live" Bea shot Barton. It was then that there was the sound of a horse whinnyng. He grabbed the gun from Bea who broke down in hysterics when she saw the search party..

 _That's the last of them, Charlie. I kept my promise. One by one I got rid of them. Barton was so busy bein' in charge that he didn't stop to think that he was doing exactly what I wanted him to. He got rid of Josh and the girl and now Paul. Mrs. Dressen took care of him. I knew he was no good. He tried too hard to convince her to go along with him. She'd have been the next and I would have been last once he had water._

Thoughts and images of Charlie raced through Coop's head in that long moment. Charlie driving the lead wagon, giving candy to kids, cooking dinner

Utterly spent, Coop was leaning against the cliff face when the riders approached Coop stared at the riders. He could hear a roaring in his ears and he was sure he was hallucinating. That was Charlie running toward him.. It couldn't be. It just wasn't possible. Barton had killed him. He'd as much as told him so that first day when he and Charlie had been taken prisoner. Coop couldn't talk at first. He was so stunned at the realization that Charlie was running toward him with a canteen. - that he was actually alive - that he could do nothing more than mouth Charlie's name. When the old cook held the canteen up to Coop, the younger man didn't move. He just stared.

"Here, take a drink." Charlie held the canteen close to Coop's face. Coop didn't move.

"Have a good drink," Charlie said. Coop still didn't move. "Is somethin' wrong?" Charlie was concerned over Coop's lack of speech and lack of movement.

"No, Charlie, nothin's wrong. There ain't nothin' wrong," a joyous Coop responded before hefting the canteen to his mouth and taking a big drink.

'Not too much," the older man cautioned. "You'll make yourself sick."

"Coop? Are you all right?" Chris Hale left Bea Dressen sitting on the ground still laughing hysterically.

"Yeah, Chris. I'm fine."

"You don't look so good," Charlie said as Chris cut the rope binding Coop's hands.

"I'm fine."

"I agree with Charlie," the scout's boss said. "Sit down for a minute while we take care of these two. Then we'll head back to the train. Barney's in charge and anxiously waiting for word from us."

Completely exhausted, Coop sank to the ground and leaned his head back. Charlie wet a bandanna and cleaned the cuts on the younger man's face. Fifteen minutes later, Barton's body was loaded onto one of the spare horses and Bea Dressen was calm and resigned to her fate, mounted on one of the others.

Chris and Charlie helped Coop to his feet and supported him to where the horses stood. Despite his assertion that he was fine, the younger man was utterly spent from three days without food or water and the constant riding, and walking, in the heat over all kinds of terrain - some of it extremely rough. Bill was watching their prisoners but none of them was in any shape to give them any trouble. Chris boosted his young friend into the saddle when Coop found his strength was gone. When they camped for the night,

Charlie gave Coop a little more water but he wasn't permitted any coffee. Three days without water was not good. The younger man, under his tan, was pale. He was dehydrated as well as exhausted.

"I think he's probably got a bit of heat stroke as well," Chris said as Coop dozed off by the fire. "We'll put him to bed, in the supply wagon, when we get back to the train. "I'd like a doctor to have a look at him."

Coop drifted off into a troubled sleep. Nightmares, about his ordeal - including the belief that Charlie had been killed plagued him. Hale woke him several times during the night when the younger man's mumblings became intense and seemed to be causing him physical pain as well as emotional.

"Sorry Chris," Coop mumbled the second time his boss woke him.

"It's all right, Coop," Hale reassured him. "You've been through a lot. Your subconscious needs to learn what your conscious mind knows - you're safe and so is Charlie."

"It's my fault," the scout said in a low voice. "I should have seen them coming. I should have fought for Charlie."

"You couldn't have known they were waiting for you and the train would be short a scout _and_ a cook, if you had." The wagonmaster patted him on the shoulder. "Try to go back to sleep now. Morning will be here before you know it and we still have another day and a half before we get back to the train."

"I reckon," the scout said as he closed his eyes again, now calm once more. "'Night Chris."

It was late in the day, three days later when they got back to the wagon train. Barney was anxiously watching for them and broke into a big grin when he saw all four of his friends were back safely. His smile turned to a concerned look when he saw how exhausted, and ill, Coop looked.

Hale hastened to reassure him.

"He'll be fine in a few days Barney. He needs rest and fluids - a little at a time." The wagon master put a hand on the teenager's shoulder. "Make up the bunk in the supply wagon would you? I'm going to have Coop sleep in there for a few days. He needs to stay out of the sun and off the ground for the time being."

'Yes, sir, Mr. Chris. Right away." Barney was happy to do anything to help his friend. Coop had looked out for him since he'd joined the wagon train and was teaching him how to be a scout.

Bill, accompanied by several men from the train, took the prisoners into the town of Cottonwood, where they had picked up supplies several days earlier. They were back the next day, Chris having told Bill to see if there was a doctor that could look Coop over to be on the safe side.. When they returned the town's doctor was with them. He gave Coop a thorough examination before concurring with Chris' diagnosis. Exhaustion, dehydration and a bit of heatstroke. Rest, and fluids - water and broth. He'd be fine in a few days.

So Coop continued to be confined to the wagon. He spent a lot of that time sleeping and thinking. Watching Charlie at his work and interacting with some of the children that were on the train brought peace to his heart.

 _That's Charlie all right. Fussing at Barney to get him firewood, making sure there's coffee for Chris and Bill, watching over his stew. Bet he's making biscuits to go with that stew. Sure would be nice to have a couple of hot biscuits with butter with that broth he's been giving me. Maybe I can talk him into it._

Watching the children, from the various families that were traveling with the train, gather around Charlie as he handed out peppermint sticks Coop couldn't help thinking, _And he's always so good with the little ones. They flock to him like a favorite grandfather or uncle. He loves them. I sure do like to kid him about that. Look at him giving out those candy sticks. And I - WE - almost lost him. Life on the train just wouldn't be the same without him. He fusses too much over me when I'm sick but there ain't anybody I'd rather have nursing me on the trail. He doesn't like to see any of us sick, or hurt, but he won't let anybody else do the nursing either. I don't think he trusts anybody else._

Coop stayed put but he wasn't happy. Every day he talked about how he was feeling fine. Chris turned a deaf ear to his complaints. By the end of his enforced rest period the scout's friends - except for Charlie who was just ecstatic to have the young man back again and safe - were ready to strangle him. It was with great relief that Chris finally allowed him to take up his duties again.

It was a beautiful sunny day when Cooper Smith finally climbed on his horse again. Well wishes from everyone on the train rang in his ears as he turned northwest toward the next good watering hole he was to check out. Heartfelt prayers of thanksgiving were sent heavenward by all who knew and cared about the young man, none more fervent than those of Chris Hale, Bill Hawks, Barnaby West and, most of all, Charlie Wooster.

 _Sure feels good to be on a horse again, out in the open, scouting ahead. Nobody chattering in my ear, pushing cups of broth - or soup - at me, or telling me to rest and stop worrying.. Just me, my horse, the birds and the game and fresh air._


End file.
